~INTERPRETING GESTURES~

Introduction: BODY LANGUAGE

In everyday situations, we always meet hundred of signals that have different meaning which are varied according to one’s understanding. So, I want to share some information on how to learn the secret of body language in order to gain confidence, comfort and control in any situation. Generally, words are functioning to deliver information while body gestures are used to reflect interpersonal attitudes and might be as substitutes for verbal messages. 

For example, a woman gives a man a “look to kill” without says anything is already clearly seen as warning to that man.

~Body language reveals emotions and thoughts.~

Body language is very helpful to read one’s emotion or thought at the time. In examples, (1) a woman who feels insecured about her extra fats at the thigh will smooth down her dress; (2) the people who feel defensive or fearful may cross their legs or fold their arms or even both.

In order for us to read body languages, we must be able to understand a person’s emotional state while listening to them and noting circumstances under which they are saying it. This step is very important to differentiate fantasy from reality and fact from fiction. This is because their mouth may say something pleasant but their body gestures reveal the opposite ways or using body gestures to hide their weaknesses.

~Let’s learn the basics.~

1.      Basically when people are happy they smile while they sad or angry they frown.

2.      Universally, nodding head is known as “yes” or affirmation. In contrast, shaking head is indicating “no” or refusal. 

"YES"

"NO"

     For example, when a young girl has had enough eat or want to stop from eating, she will shake head from side to side to stop any attempt to spoon-feed her.

 

.     2.  Sneering is used by animals to warn others and even use their teeth to attack or defend. However, sneering is also used by human even though they are not using their teeth for defense.

       3.      Sneering in human view is caused by anger, irritation when a person feel threaten or something is not right. 

        4.  The shoulder shrug is another example of universal gestures where most of people use it to show that the person does not know or does not understand what others are saying. It is a gesture that consists of three simple movement which are (1)expose palms to show nothing is being concealed in hands, (2) hunched shoulders to protect the throat from attack and (3) raised brow that shows submissive greeting.

This video shows some examples of body languages. :)

~Children are easy to read~

             children are easy to read compared to adult because they have more muscle tone in their faces. The speed of the body gestures and how obvious they look to others are closely related to individual's ages. Hence, as people get older, it will become less obvious that they are telling lies.

1.   Children  

        Children are likely to cover their mouth with one or both hands when they are telling lies. The act of covering mouth alerts the parents that their child are telling lie.

2.  Teenagers

        When teenagers tell lie, they also bring their hands to the mouth but fingers rub lightly around it compared to child where they obviously covering their mouth with hands. 

3.   Adults

          The mouth-covering gesture becomes faster in adulthood. When adult tells a lie, his brain will instruct him to cover his mouth as he did when he was young. But, at last moment, the hands are pulled away from the face and a nose touch gesture is resulted.